


Experimentation

by To_Swerve_And_Defect



Category: 2000AD, Judge Dredd (Comics)
Genre: Aftercare, Alternate Universe, Chief Judge Mortis AU, Established Relationship, Frotting, Light Bondage, M/M, Oral Sex, Partially Clothed Sex, Size Difference, Small Dom/Big Sub, Teasing
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-15
Updated: 2021-02-12
Packaged: 2021-02-27 10:21:13
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 9,256
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22265521
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/To_Swerve_And_Defect/pseuds/To_Swerve_And_Defect
Summary: Set in an AU where Judge Mortis is turned undead first instead of Judge Death, and temporarily takes the role of Chief Judge until Death is capable of taking office.Still new to his task as Chief, Mortis is anxious about the weight and scope of his duties. While taking some time off, Sidney drops by to visit him and help address some of his stresses about the new position.
Relationships: Judge Death/Judge Mortis, Sidney De'Ath/Judge Mortis
Collections: Necrosis





	1. A Proposition

**Author's Note:**

> Felt like indulging an idea for an AU I had for a while. Might have multiple chapters, we'll see.
> 
> (EDIT: I went back over and did some revisions so the story flowed better and fixed a few typos.)

While Mortis was allowed personal downtime, it is hardly ever completely private, at least concerning being alone with his own person. His bones creak, settling as the air of authority deflates from his person. The tension leaves his form, but the weight never seemed to ease from his shoulders. Behind closed doors he did not need to play the ever demanding role of the chief, and while he knew very well Death’s reasons for allowing him to temporarily hold the position, Mortis pondered if perhaps he should have convinced Fire to do so instead. Impulsive and temperamental as he was, Fire had always been better at taking on a persona outside his own.

However, there was something aside from his role that drew upon his thoughts. Or more, someone was drawing upon them. He let the burdens of the day clear from his mind; strategies, plans, their goals. They all faded from him like mist from the first rays of dawn. Then, he focused on one.

Sidney.

His thoughts were an open book to him, and he read his intentions just as easily. Coincidentally, just as Mortis managed to get some time to himself, the man seemed to be interested in visiting him. Though Mortis doubted that Sidney held any potential for telepathy, the way he had been managing to have the impulse to come down to his quarters when the temporary chief was resting held an uncanny quality to it that he could not shake.

Perhaps he simply got ahold of the schedule for his shifts.

Mortis watched, following his thoughts as Sidney roamed down the halls of their sector house and finally came to stand at the door of his room. He barely had time to think to knock before Mortis came to open the door. His form towered over the mortal, tall and lanky, yet his frame was still able to block out the doorway.

“Ah, Mortis.” He had caught Sidney right as he had raised his hand to knock. “I had been hoping you were in.”

“Greetingsss, Sssidney. You caught me jusst ass I had left the office.” Mortis hissed, stepping out of the doorway to gesture an invitation, “Come in.”

Though Mortis was starting to grow accustomed to his increased stature, it was odd to see the top of the other’s head barely come up to his chest now, after so long of them standing eye level to each other. The superfiend’s height had skyrocketed, towering over the rest of the judges at the sector house at a height of eight feet. The only one who seemed unfazed by the sudden shift in his appearance now slipped past him into the room.

While Sidney tended to be careful with his visits, ensuring no one took notice of where he was going- and many did not tend to follow him, Mortis still held a personal habit to let an eye socket scan the hall before closing the door behind them both.

“What bringsss you here, dear friend?” Mortis asked as he turned away from the door. His claws firmly locked it, and the rest of the world, out.

What met him as he came to face Sidney, was not a sight he tended to expect, but all the same, when it concerned the man he came to know as one of his closest friends, it was not surprising either. Sidney had made himself at home right away, kicking off his boots and taking a seat on his bed. Some adjustments had to made to some of the furniture account for Mortis’ taller stature when he had taken office, now made more obvious with Sidney’s presence. He looked so small, as he shuffled himself up the overly large, superfiend sized mattress to lay up with the pillows.

“A visit, for the most part.” He replied, reclining against the headboard.

Mortis came to join him, sitting on the edge of the bed. It was not uncommon for Sidney to visit as he did, he was wont to come and check on him until the time came that he changed to a more befitting undead state. Yet, the sheep skull headed superfiend found the grin starting to spread upon the other’s face betraying of his intent.

“How has your position been treating you?” Sidney asked.

“Everything isss going to plan. The ressst of the force are taking the new lawsss well. Already the effect is obviousss on the streetsss, crime issss falling asss quickly asss the criminalsss are cut down.” Mortis reported, his claws curled over each other, drawing close to his chest. “...What of your transssformation, Sssidney? How long until you will be able to take over asss chief?”

Sidney shifted where he was resting on the bed, and gave a small shrug. “It goes. I can feel the poisons taking effect, soon I will be ready to take office.”

Mortis’ posture eased. Good, he thought, soon he would no longer have the majority of the justice department’s leadership on his shoulders. The other tilted his head as he looked up at him, appearing thoughtful.

“Eager for me to take over, hm?” He commented, regarding the other’s motions. “Leadership is a taxing role, Mortis. Even if things are going to plan, it takes effort to make sure everyone is pursuing the same goal.”

“Yesss.” Mortis confessed, “Thiss job can be trying, the sscope of our plansss leave plenty of factorsss that need to be managed. At timesss it ssseemsss too much. The ressisstance groupsss, sssabotage from our own Judgess who oppossse our effortsss, it isss more visssceral to be at the center of it all than I had expected initially. Even when I am here I cannot stop thinking about it.”

“I understand, friend.” Sidney replied, “Our plans are immense in their scope and are bound to be opposed by a few... wets, it is natural to be anxious.”

He paused, pale eyes flitting to look over the lanky superfiend sitting next to him. “Perhaps I could help you with it, temporarily at least.”

Mortis’ snout turned to look at him. “How do you mean?”

“It is just a suggestion, but at times like these, sometimes having some company can help one forget about their troubles for a short while.” Sidney offered.

“You?” Mortis was taken off guard. Sidney could be bold but he had not expected him to suggest what he did.

“Please, you know how fond I am you, Mortis.” He sat up and moved to sit next to him, a gloved hand settling upon on Mortis’ knee with a gentle squeeze. “I could not simply leave you to dwell on your worries. What sort of friend would I be?”

Sidney’s eyes looked into Mortis‘ empty sockets, his thoughts conflicted and his skull turned aside to look towards the wall. The undead’s tail flicked and curled tightly around his hips to dig against the leather of his leggings.

A low hiss escaped him, uncertainty clear in his gravelled voice as he picked his words. “Well, it... I know how you feel about me, Sssidney. I have known well for a long while. I do not know if I sstill am capable, thisss body-”

He was cut off as Sidney’s hand rose to rest against the bone of his cheek- skin meeting the bone of his jaw instead of smooth pale leather. Sidney must have removed his gloves while he was distracted. Mortis’ gaze returned to him, surprised and at the same time, curious about the other’s unexpected action.

His hand was so soft, so warm... He had felt his touch before. Why now was it so distracting?

Moving to sit closer, the other was nearly pressed up against his side, his pale blue eyes looking up into his eye sockets. Mortis could see the chill of his host drawing goosebumps along the other’s skin. Or perhaps it was excitement.

“Do not worry about that.” He assured, his thumb gently caressed over the edge of his jaw as he moved to cup it and draw the other’s head to look at him. “This is new for the both of us, we can figure it out as we go.”

“Perhapsss, yesss.” Mortis hissed, considering. “Asss much asss I would like to try what you sssuggesst, I worry that maybe what you will find will not be what you are expecting.”

Mortis was well aware of his own host. His time to himself, when he was able to find it, was often spent inspecting his new form. While he had come to accept what he had become since the transformation, part of him could not help but assume another would sooner be repulsed, or at best, morbidly intrigued.

“Undead or not, you are still Mortis.” Sidney countered. “I love you either way.”

His hand slid down from where it had cupped Mortis’ jaw, and rested back upon his thigh. The superfiend watched as he did so, his tail flicking idly as he weighed the other’s offer against his own hesitation. He wanted to feel the other’s touch again. Since he had turned he wished he could hold the other in his arms once more, yet now he was being offered it so openly, it felt more akin to a torment than a desire fulfilled.

He was so different now, did Sidney really understand the gravity of what he offered?

What if this drove them apart?

Yet Mortis could not shake the feeling he was pushing Sidney away. He wanted him, needed him, especially now. His attention returned to the other’s icy blue eyes, they looked at him now the same way they had when Mortis was still alive and mortal. There still was that gleam in them, that the sheep skull that was reflected in them was one of the most important beings in Sidney’s existence- something the Sisters struggled to rival even with their many dark talents.

Even so, they fell, looking down at the hand upon his thigh for a moment. His lips pulled into a thin line, a soft sigh escaping him as he gave the dark leather a soft pat.

“I’m sorry. If you you are not ready I will not push the matter-” Sidney began, only to be interrupted suddenly.

“I...I want to try.” Mortis’ words felt like stone grating against his throat as he spoke them, difficult to voice.

“Are you sure?” The other looked up at him, tilting his head thoughtfully. “There is no pressure. I do not want you to think we absolutely have to do this. ”

“Yesss.” Mortis hissed, sounding more confident than before, if only a little. “I misssed you, Sssidney. I misssed feeling your touch, the way we held each other. Even if my form hasss changed, your feelingsss toward me are the sssame. I... I appreciate it.”

A soft smile spread across the other’s face. 

“Mortis,” he uttered, “Of course I still feel the same.”

He watched as Sidney drew his hand over his thigh, giving his knee a small squeeze. The man’s eyes glanced down, thinking momentarily before he spoke up again.

“I’ve missed you too. For a while I had been thinking, hoping when I come to see you, to maybe have a chance to hold you... kiss you, just like we used to.” His eyes looked up to meet Mortis’ sockets once more. “When you want to do anything, anything you are ready to do, Mortis. Tell me.”

Breifly Mortis raised a clawed hand, thinking to reach over to him, before hesitating. His touch, he remembered. It rotted, decayed anything and everything with even the barest caress from his yellowed talons. A feeling tugged and twisted in his chest, yearning, wanting. But the way to express it in this form, it eluded him.

Sidney watched him, a concerned frown replacing that sweet, understanding smile earlier. He leaned forward, seemingly trying to get a better look into the dark, vacant eye sockets of his host.

“Mortis?”

“I...” The superfiend began, before falling silent with a frustrated hiss.

His claw that hung stupidly in the air came to clap against the back of his neck, rubbing and kneading thoughtfully at the greened flesh.

“I am not sssure where to ssstart.”

“Perhaps we should start small.” Sidney offered, “Maybe I could ... sit on your lap?”

It was a small step, certainly. Yet already the towering undead felt tense, anticipating the new attempt at rekindling their intimacy. Would his host feel uncomfortable? Could the lack of flesh upon him be off putting, repulsive even? That ugly possibility reared its head once again in his thoughts, whispering its omen of imminent heartbreak with bared teeth. Yet, he mustered the will to speak.

“Yesss, that would be... Comfortable.”

Not a moment after he had spoke, Sidney eagerly climbed into his lap.The black leather they wore creaked as they rubbed against each other. Admittedly Mortis had forgotten the sounds that often arose when they had attempted to cuddle up against each other while in uniform- now he remembered it was often the reason they did not wear them once they met in private, the obnoxious, squeaking sounds were distracting. Right now, however, he was happy to keep his host covered as long as he could. Sidney moved to sit on his legs, straddling his bony thighs as he insisted on facing the other. Tense, he was so tense. The temporary chief could not shake the stiffness from his body, vigilant, anxious as his claws quickly came to curl over the edge of the mattress like a stone gargoyle. Even as Sidney shifted his weight, getting comfortable upon his lap, Mortis could do little but sit stone still as the other regarded him. His eyeless gaze watched as the other’s eyes roved over his form, the way his decayed nature rotted holes in his clothing, giving brief glimpses into the true appearance of his body. Slivers of ivory bone peeked through the tatters, webs of mummified green flesh stretched over the hollows of his form where leather did not cover him.

Idly he hoped that Sidney would not linger too long upon them.

“There we are.” Sidney’s voice drew him from his thoughts, those blue eyes looking into his eye sockets. “How are you, hm? Comfortable?”

“Yesss...” He trailed off, watching the other.

He loathed to bring up how rigid he felt, how difficult it was to simply relax. Perhaps it would only be a little time before he grew more lax in Sidney’s company, or so he kept hoping. It was difficult however, with how thoroughly he knew what his touch could do, should one of his claws accidentally graze his partner’s leg, or slice through the fabric of his socks.

He did his best to focus on Sidney, lord knew he tried, but he could not help but constantly mind where his hands were in relation to the other, shuffling them further aside when Sidney’s leg moved too close while sitting on him.

Mortis could feel his weight rest heavily on his body, his hands pressed against his ribs as they moved up over the leather of his uniform to rest on his shoulders. With an elated sigh he leaned forward to rest against his chest, letting his head settle in the crook of the dark judge’s neck. The heat of his body burned against him, a pleasant warmth that spread into the rotten leather of his clothing and through his host. Something within the superfiend yearned for the heat that danced over his body. He wanted more of it, more of him. Yet, his talons remained fixed to the bed, clinging to the sheets.

“Mortis?” Sidney was looking at him, his features tensed with concern, “Is something wrong?”

“I... It isss nothing you have done. I worry I do not know the full extent of my ssstrength.” A small sigh escaped him and his head tilted down, looking at his claws. “What if I hurt you?”

Sidney’s arms came to wrap around the back of Mortis’ neck, a small smile gracing his features. “Oh, Mortis. You won’t, I know you won’t. But if it helps...”

One hand reached down to grasp at one of the pockets on his uniform’s belt, opening the pouch and retrieving a pair of handcuffs. They were the standard justice department type; silvery, metal, meant for restraint and little else in the way of comfort. He let one of the metallic rings swing around his finger, softly jingling.

“I could restrain you with these.” He offered, “But of course, it is just a suggestion.”

Mortis glanced between the grin upon his partner’s face, and the set of handcuffs dangling from his fingers. It was deeply tempting, sterile and draconic as those restraints looked, to snatch them from his grip and slide them on then and there. Certainly metal was not safe from his powers, but perhaps if his fingers could not touch them, they would have a chance.

“I think I would prefer being ressstrained, for your sssake.” Mortis replied, his clawed hands already moving to grasp the handcuffs before they were suddenly pulled away.

“Oh? Shall we have a safeword?” He toyed with the cuffs playfully in one hand, spinning them around his finger before grasping them.

“Sssss! Sssidney, pleasse. Thisss iss no roleplay.” Red flared briefly in his eye sockets, bright enough to illuminating the other’s face. “My touch could accidentally kill you before you are ready, I wissh you would take thisss more ssseriousssly.”

“Of course, Mortis!” Sidney replied, his hand reached up to cup his jaw, his thumb gently caressed the milky white edge of the bone. “I know things have changed with you, its not just physically. I remember hearing the others talk about the time you accidentally turned a doorknob into a pile of rust just trying to get into the office.”

“Yesss, among numerousss other... Incidentsss.”

“I thought perhaps a little more lighthearted approach would help is all.” A small sigh whispered from Sidney’s lips, his hand sliding down from Mortis’ jaw to rest on his shoulder. “Something to help you relax a little... You looked so vigilant, with your claws like that on the bed.”

Ah, so he noticed.

“It cannot be helped.” He admitted, “I worry about touching you, even just a sssingle edge of my clawsss brussshing up againssst you, or you touching them could be-”

“Disastrous, yes.” Sidney finished.

Mortis watched as his eyes considered the handcuffs firmly grasped in his hand, then looked back at the curved, cruel talons that locked themselves back over the corner of the bed.

“I apologize, love. I did not mean to make you uncomfortable. It’s just been such a long time we’ve been apart and...”

“Think nothing of it.” Mortis hissed, leaning his skull forward to give a small peck, the best he could do for a kiss, to the top of the other’s head. “This is difficult for both of us. The handcuffsss are a good idea, I am sssure of it.”

“Let’s try it then” Sidney agreed, already climbing around to sit behind the superfiend. “Let me see your hands.”

With a pop of their sharpened tips pulling away from where they had embedded themselves in the blanket, Mortis offered his hands to him, curling his talons inward to keep them from accidentally grazing his partner’s person. His skull tilted to watch him from over his shoulder, a single eye socket focused on Sidney’s actions. Deftly, carefully, the cuffs were clasped over either of the superfiend’s wrists, restraining his talons behind his back. He flexed his claws, testing the handcuffs. They were difficult to reach with the size of his hands compared to his wrists, but there was a slight chance he could grasp them if he twisted and let one hand grab the other. Even so, it was better than nothing. 

“There we go.” Sidney uttered.

Leaning forward to let his hands rest on Mortis’ shoulders, his lips gently grazed the back of his neck. “Does that feel better?”

“Yesss, much better.” Mortis softly replied, already one of his most pressing concerns was put to rest.

“Good.” Quickly Sidney took the opportunity to climb back into his lap, straddling his thighs as a hand rose to press against his chest. “Now, why don’t you lay back for me, hm?”

Mortis let him gently coax him to lay down against the sheets, the action made awkward with his hands tied behind him. He had to lock his legs over the edge of the bed to keep from falling over. Though Sidney’s body resting on him legs also helped to keep him from toppling over as he settled against the bed.

“There’s a good man.” Sidney breathed, Mortis watched as he looked down at him. “Let’s get you out of that uniform.”

“Yesss, letsss.” The superfiend encouraged, his gaze following Sidney’s fingers as they roamed over him.

His fingers quickly undid the straps to his shoulder guards, pushing them aside before grasping the chain that strung itself from his badge to the zip on his uniform. It took only a moment for him to undo the clasp, using the length of chain like a handle to pull the zip down until it ran into his belt. Mortis watched as Sidney pulled aside the leather of his uniform, beholding his host in full. He tensed, looking away, expecting a sound of revulsion or horror as his partner was met with the truth of what the ritual of undeath did. 

Instead, he was met with a soft, interested; “Oh.” 

Sidney’s gaze roamed over his ribcage, instead of disgust as the superfiend had expected, a sort of wonder gleamed in his eye at the sight that met him. Ribs pushed starkly against tattered greened flesh pulled taught. His fingers traced gently over the exposed bones, feeling over the smooth edges. The superfiend’s ribs reflexively flexed and settled at his touch as if Mortis’ breath hitched and shuddered, and Sidney’s fingers briefly curled away.

“You can feel this?” He asked, looking into the other’s eye sockets.

“Yesss, I can.” Mortis hissed, his skull tilting to look directly at him, “Your touch feelss sso warm.”

“Does it feel good?” Sidney wondered.

“Yess. Pleasse... keep going.” Mortis’ jaws clicked together as he spoke his request. The superfiend’s voice was hushed, as if confessing a secret.

“I will, Mortis. I will.” Sidney assured, letting two fingers caress along the smooth curve of bone, following it to his sternum. “I want to explore every bit of you.” He added under his breath.

He watched as Sidney let his fingers play between the spaces of the other’s ribs, following the curves of the bleached white bone. Light touches danced over his chest, tickling, tingling with the smaller man’s heat. His back arched, claws flexing against the fabric of the sheets, it was almost too much. Mortis had gotten used to being left alone, contact was a rarity to the point of being nonexistent, and now that Sidney was gently caressing him, slowly, attentively letting his fingers explore him, it was overwhelming.

A soft moan caught in his throat, and Mortis squeezed his jaw shut to try and muffle it. His head turned to push against the sheets, pressing his snout to try and quiet himself further, yet it was not enough to escape his partner who sat straddling his hips.

“Enjoying yourself, Mortis?” Sidney watched him, a smug grin spreading from ear to ear as he watched the other squirm beneath him.

“I am not ussssed to thisss attention.” Mortis quickly rasped, lifting his head from the dent his skull had driven into the mattress to look at his partner.

Sidney leaned back, realization quickly replacing his earlier expression as watched as Mortis settled out of his prior tension. “Is it too much?”

“N-No! Pleassse, don’t ssstop. “ The undead hissed, “I want thisss. It feelsss good to be touched sso lovingly after sssuch a long time of nothing.”

“Oh... Mortis.” He sighed, reaching forward to cup the other’s jaw. “Poor thing, we will change that soon enough.”

Mortis watched as the smaller man leaned forward, nearly pressing his body against his. He could feel his heat radiate from him, into him as he drew close. Close enough that the superfiend could no longer watch, only follow as best he could from what he could feel now that he was sitting in a blind spot. Warm, soft lips gently pressed to the tip of his snout in a kiss. The man’s weight rested on him fully now, pressing against his chest. A small sigh hissed from Mortis as he let his head lay back against the sheets. He felt as Sidney’s kisses traveled down the side of his jaw, heat pressing against bone, and then to the skin of his neck. The warmth of his hands glided over his chest, one gently caressing over the other side of his neck. 

His back arched into the smaller man squirming as the attention started to overload his senses. He wondered for a moment if Sidney noticed, though from how he moved with him, his hips angling to stay on top as he fidgeted, squeezing his thighs around his waist, he suspected he knew perfectly well what he was doing to him. Mortis could feel the smaller mortal stop kissing, content to let his head rest against his clavical as one hand reached up to work on him. The other rested upon his chest, his thumb gently rubbing over one of his ribs. His claws flexed as he felt Sidney let his fingers roam over his neck, feeling the segments of his throat and following the lines of his tendons. Warmth tickled his skin over and over, something inside him pulled, at once his uniform began to feel too tight on his person. 

Suddenly Mortis’ hips rolled up against him.

“Ah!” Sidney sat up quickly, and Mortis could feel as his seat came to rest upon something firm, straining against the leather of his pants. “Oh...Oh my.”

Mortis looked up as he heard the other’s surprise, finding him shifting to straddle his thighs instead of sitting on his hips. His gaze was fixed upon the flesh that pushed against his clothing. The superfiend could see that eager curiosity sat strongly in his thoughts and upon his face, the questions that raced through his brain. Pale blue eyes flicked up to meet his eye sockets, their intent clear. Mortis could see he wanted to rip away that thin layer of leather right then and there, but Sidney was restraining himself.

“May I?” The man asked, a hand hovering hopefully over the metal of Mortis’ belt buckle.

“Yesss, keep going.” The superfiend encouraged, his eye sockets fixed on him attentively.

The moment the words slipped off his tongue, Sidney quickly worked off the buckle and pulled aside his belt, grabbed the zip and tugged it down. He worked his fingers under the tight waistband, shimmying the leather down until it sat bunched at the bottom of his pelvis. He probed into his pants, and Mortis tensed as he felt his fingers grasp him, eagerly fishing out the stiffening length of his cock.

A soft whimper escaped Mortis’ throat as he felt his fingers wrap around it; a rod of greened flesh, thick enough he was unable to wrap one hand completely around the shaft. His back arched, pushing his hips up into his partner’s hand. Desire flooded through him, needing, wanting more of Sidney’s attention. He watched Sidney from where he was perched upon him, intrigued with his new find.

“I understood that your stature was taller once you had undergone the transformation, but I had not expected- well, this.” Sidney uttered, letting his hand gently stroke over the shaft as grew more erect in his grip. “What part of the ritual accounted for it?”

A small gasp hissed from the superfiend, his hips gently rolling up into Sidney’s hand in time with his movements. “Doesss it matter?” He managed to reply. “Sssuch thingss... need not be explained.”

“Perhaps so.” Sidney agreed, letting his fingers draw up to the head. “Even if the fact you are still intact as you are is surprising.”

Two fingers gently pressed and stroked small, slow circles over the head of Mortis’ cock, his other hand returning to sliding over the shaft. His warmth, the feel of his hands on him, a soft moan emanated from his skull. The sharp edges of his hips pushed up into his hands, rolling, grinding against his touch. It did not take long he was fully erect in Sidney’s hands. Briefly, he felt his grip tighten, watching, feeling how it throbbed before returning to giving him attention.

“That feelsss ssso good.” Mortis uttered, his skull tilting to the side to lay against the sheets.

His icy blue eyes glanced up at him, a mischievous glint shining in them. “I could do more. But first...”

It was then that Sidney -unfortunately- let go of his cock and climbed off of him, scooting over to the center of the bed and sitting there.

“Move over here, it will make things easier if half of you isn’t off the bed.” He coaxed, patting the blanket with his hand.

Wordlessly Mortis complied with a low hiss, swinging his legs over the side of the mattress to lay flat on the bed, before worming his way over to lay more towards the center of the bed than the edge of it. Sidney was quick to reclaim his perch the moment he settled, straddling his thighs with a softly whispered; “That’s better, there’s my good man.”

His eyes flicked up to Mortis’ eye sockets, his fingers gently tracing back and forth over the edge of his hip bone.

“Comfortable, love?”

“Yesss,” Mortis nodded.

“Good.”

Mortis watched as his fingers wrapped around him again, catching the other hand dipping into his pants again to gently grasp and retrieve his balls. His body tensed and arched gently into him as he felt his thumb massage in light circles over them.

As if knowing that Mortis’ gaze was on him, his tongue flicked out over his lips. “I had been thinking.” He said thoughtfully, letting his fingers trace the skin around the base of his cock. “Thinking about what you taste like.”

“Yesss?” Mortis hissed, pondering what exactly he had in mind.

He watched as Sidney shifted and came to sit between his legs, kissing at the skin at the base of his cock. Mortis tensed, a small hiss escaping him.

“Would you let me?” Warm breath puffed against his skin, Sidney’s voice low, soothing. “Do you want me to take you, taste you?”

“Yesss, Sssidney. Pleassse.” Mortis breathed, his kisses did little to aid him, teasing and flustering him further.

Wordlessly he complied with his request, his tongue slipping out to press against the skin between his balls and shaft, then slid up along Mortis’ cock. The wet heat felt so good, he could not help but arch his back into him, his claws curling, digging into the sheets. They stained them black with decay and unbeknownst to the both of them, ate away the polyester in wide ragged holes. Sidney’s hands came to press down on his hips, keeping them still as he closed his lips around the head of his cock. Mortis’ skull turned and tilted back against the bed, his form tensing as he felt his tongue trace circles over him. It pressed down and licked forward and back over the slit, eagerly lapping up beads of precum that started to drip from it. Mortis softly moaned, his thoughts awash with heat, wanting. Were he not pinned against the bed, he would have gladly bucked his hips up into Sidney’s mouth. Unfortunately, he could only writhe under him as he worked; whimpering, wordlessly pleading.

His skull tilted to watch, catching a glimpse of the other as his eyes closed and started to bob down over him, enveloping him in a wet heat. His tongue pressed firmly against his skin, the girth of his shaft pushed and bulged at the edges of his mouth, Mortis was uncertain if it would fit. Empty eye sockets followed him, feeling as half of his cock slid to the back of his mouth before he pulled back up.

His eyes opened, looking up at him as he dipped back down again to lathe his tongue over him. Massaging, squeezing, the superfiend wanted to roll his hips into his mouth, feel himself slide into his warmth over and over. Yet for every attempt he made to push his hips up against Sidney, his grip upon him firmed and pushed him back down against the bed.

“Sss-Ssidney...” Mortis hissed, squirming in his grip.

He drew back up once more, pulling off him with a pop. Already precum was steadily dripping from the tip. A soft chuckle hummed in the man’s throat, looking down his stomach at Mortis, now looking more like he was laying captive than restrained for his partner’s safety.

“You looks so good down there, Mortis. Flustered, desperate. It is a shame I cannot fit all of you into my mouth.” Sidney watched him, a hand moving to stroke slowly along his shaft. “I could give you more, love. All you need to do is say so.”

”I want more of you, Sssidney." He pleaded, pushing his hips up against his hand once again, “Pleasse, ssstop teasssing me. Ssstaying sstill isss torture, let me move.”

Sidney’s eyebrows raised, “Is it now? It would be horrible to keep you down there, tied up and unable to do anything about it. Let me help you.”

He resumed his place straddling his thighs, his hands moving to remove his own uniform that had gone largely ignored until now. His shoulder pads were discarded to the floor, and the armored leather that covered him was quickly unzipped and peeled away to show his own hardening flesh. He reached down, stroking himself, his other hand wrapped around the head of Mortis’ cock, gently squeezing and letting his thumb rub over the slit, spreading the dripping fluid around.

“I have to admit this has done more to me than I had initially thought it would.” He uttered, “It is a tempting thought, to press myself against you and grind against your cock.”

His bony hips rolled up against his hand, a soft sigh hissing from his throat as he savored the feeling. How his fingers played over the head, the warmth of his skin against his. It all felt so good, he did not want it to end.

Mortis watched as Sidney shifted his weight, moving closer to him. “Would you like that?”

“Yesss, do what you want with me.” The superfiend encouraged, “Your touch, your mouth, you feel ssso good, Sssidney.”

He hummed, pleased with the other’s response. “That’s all I needed to hear.”

Mortis’ skull tilted to watch him as he pushed his cock up against his, a hand moving to grasp the both of them while his free hand moved down to feel about the pockets of his belt laying on the bed, searching for something. He lifted open the flap of one of the pockets, pulling out a small bottle and popping the cap off of it.

“Ah, there were go.” He said, mostly to himself as he tilted the bottle over and let a clear liquid drip over both of the shafts in his grip. “A little lube helps.”

Mortis tensed at the cool sensation of the substance dripping over him coating it from the head down to his base. Though not long after Sidney had dripped the lube upon them both, he put the bottle aside, grasping with both hands and stroking. Lubricated, his hands glided over him, warmth mingling with the new slippery feel.

A soft whimper escaped between Mortis’ teeth, need overwhelming his thoughts like a thick fog. It was difficult to think about anything else but the way Sidney’s hands slid over him, stroking, massaging. His hips thrust in time with his movements, losing himself in pleasure.

His reaction did not go unnoticed. The other’s eyes watched him, following how his form heaved and pressed up into his hands. Fascinated with the way his body could move, feel, and absolutely reveling in the fact that it was he who had the towering superfiend at his mercy. 

“There’s a good man. That’s it, let me take care of you.” A smile was evident in his tone as he kept working them both, eager to see how far he could push him.

He felt Sidney’s hands grasp and squeeze them both together. Thrusting, grinding against his shaft slowly at first, his pace steadily built until Mortis’s back began to arch and, his head turned to press his nose against the sheets to muffle his moans. His legs tucked up against the other’s back, his toes curling tight. He could feel his pleasure building, threatening to overtake him entirely. It shot through him like lightning, erasing all other senses, and at once his mind was set ablaze with ecstacy as Sidney brought them both to climax.

His back arched into him, Mortis’ jaw hanging open as he cried out. Letting his skull fall back against the bed, the superfiend let his awareness of the world around him slip away. He was barely aware of his partner turning him to undo his cuffs, and pulling him close in an embrace as he slipped into unconsciousness.

\-----

Mortis came to with the sensation of something warm and firm pressed up against his chest. Soft lips brushed against his throat with a content hum. His skull tilted from where he laid on his side on the bed, now propped up with a pillow. Laying up against his chest was Sidney, who had managed to place himself between the superfiend’s long, thin arms. His arms, that were no longer restrained behind his back, now stretched out in front of him. 

Mortis’ jaws opened to say something, but his partner beat him to it. “Do not worry, Mortis. You did not hurt me at all. I thought you would rest more comfortably with the cuffs off.” He reassured, shifting to give him a kiss on the side of his neck.

“Good.” Mortis rumbled, letting his head lay back against the pillow.

He felt Sidney shift, his arm moving to wrap around his back. His fingers traced up along the ridge of his ribs as they pressed out against his skin, sending a warm, tickling sensation up his spine. Mortis leaned into it, focusing on the way his gentle touches traveled along his back. His host felt so heavy, uncharacteristically lethargic, not a part of him wanted to move with his limbs weighed down with an all encompassing contentment.

“How was it?” Sidney spoke up again after a time of laying in silence, “Did you feel good?”

“Yesss, you did well. Thank you, Sssidney.” Mortis replied, and tilted his skull down to give a soft peck on the top of his head. The bristly, short hair of his regulation haircut prickled against the bone of his snout.

“So did you, love. You did so good.” The man rested his head against Mortis’ chest, briefly kissing the exposed bone of his sternum. “Later on maybe, we could do this again.”

“Oh?” Mortis wondered, “Expanded your tassstess, have I?

Sidney nodded, a soft chuckle vibrated against the other’s bones. “Perhaps, yes. We could try some new things when we do this again, something more than frotting.”

“Like what?” Mortis replied sleepily, curious but still bathing in afterglow.

“I had been thinking while you were resting...” The man moved closer, sitting up to press his jaw against where his ear would be, whispering; “Perhaps next time we slip that cock of yours into me, and have ourselves a good, deep fuck.”

If his face still had flesh, Mortis’ brow would have raised at the suggestion. A small kiss against the bone of his jaw followed the whispered idea. They had just finished their first steps into attempting intimacy with his host, which prior had been presumed nothing short of impossibility. Now to suddenly jump into anal at Sidney’s suggestion, he wondered if perhaps he was being too ambitious, considering how much effort it had been to blow him. Would he be able to fit? Glancing down, it was clear that Sidney was a good two feet shorter than him, his smaller size put into further perspective by how Mortis dwarfed him as he cuddled up against him on the bed.

“How would we manage?” Mortis hissed, uncertain. “I fear I might hurt you if we tried that. You are ssso much sssmaller than me.”

“I can make preparations ahead of time, there are ways.” Came the other’s confident response, a grin evident in hi voice. “And if you still are not certain about it, we can try something else. How does that sound?”

Mortis paused, considering the offer. He could feel Sidney move to rest up against him again, letting his head sit under his jaw with a content sigh as he got comfortable. While he was uncertain whether he would be able to manage what Sidney was proposing, he had faith that the man knew what he was doing- though how Sidney knew what he was doing, was a matter that Mortis could not help but question if only a little. 

Then again, he had always been one who was not afraid to travel a path some would fear to tread, including sleeping with an entity like himself.

“We can try it. Next time I have sssome time to myssself, we will have a good chance to experiment.” The undead replied after some thought.

He felt Sidney’s lips against his neck again, kissing then speaking against his skin. “Good. I think I will look forward to it.”

They laid there for a while more, enjoying each other’s company. Yet, it soon became time for them to go their separate ways; Sidney back to his duties in the field and within the sector house, and Mortis back to his work as chief. He watched as the smaller man slipped into the bathroom and showered, cleaning off the evidence of their time spent together before slipping into his uniform.

“I hope this helps you deal with the weight of your work for the time being.” Sidney said as he emerged, zipping up the front of his uniform. “It may not be long before I take over, but for now, I need you be capable in my stead.”

“I ssshall be. Our work will continue.” Mortis assured him as he sat up on the bed, soon he would have a turn to wash off the remnants of their visit.

“There’s a good man.” Sidney uttered to him, before turning to the door.

He opened it, giving a quick look down the hall to ensure no one would witness him leaving the chief judge’s personal quarters, before stepping out. The door shut behind him, leaving Mortis to sit and think.


	2. Weight on a Troubled Mind

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mortis reflects on a promise he made to Sidney before he turned undead while considering his paperwork.

“Death, this all seems very...”

“Very, what, Mortis?”

“Everything about this seems like a massive risk to take. How do you know that they are completely honest about their intent?”

Ever since they had become brothers, chosen their new names to match their new sense of purpose, his leader previously known as Sidney insisted on being referred to by his new name. Mortis was not one to usually question, but lately the other had him worried.

Death leaned back in the seat of his lawmaster with a sigh, turning away to look out over the city skyline. The lively glow of its twisting streets and towering buildings bled into the night sky, overpowering the ethereal gleam of the stars above. Even out here, near the outskirts of the city limits, it glared off the polished surface of his helmet, rending his expression ever more inscrutable now that Mortis could not see a glimpse of his eyes beneath the visor. 

His own lawmaster was parked next to his. He shifted in his seat and swallowed a lump that had been growing in his throat since Sidney had confessed his recent plans to him.

“The Sisters were very thorough in their explanation about how the ritual would go. They have done this before.” The fellow Judge replied after a moment, “I have no reason to believe them to be lying, Mortis, they adore me. I am one of the best things that have come into their lives.”

Mortis’ jaw tightened, “It seems a little too good to be true. You take the poisons, they kill you and say some magic words, and then you come back from the dead to carry out your plans.”

Death nodded, looking to him as he remarked with little care, seemingly oblivious to how strange this all sounded; “Yes.”

“What if it is not your plans you carry out when you come back, but theirs? Have you ever heard of zombies, using rituals to shackle the unwitting to another person's will?” Mortis turned in his seat to better face the other, “I worry that maybe this all could be a trick.”

As he spoke, Death’s face slowly pulled into a frown, now staring at him sternly as he came to the point of his concerns.

He gave a sharp exhale through his nose, responding slowly, evenly. “Are you expressing a lack of faith in my plans, Mortis?”

“No! Not at all. I am dubious of the plans of those two sisters. I don’t want to see you getting involved with matters that could be against your best interests.” He quickly defended, before pausing a moment to watch Death. “You know I care about you, you and our cause.”

“I understand, Mortis. You have been a good friend to me. But this ritual could be a massive turning point, I can continue our plans with none of the hypocrisy of being alive. It seems unwise to turn it down.”

Mortis turned to look out over the city, laying back in the seat of his lawmaster with a small sigh. Uncertainty still tugged at him, twisting his guts into knots. He knew Death adored the sisters dearly, and they seemingly did so to him. But even so, there was something about the whole arrangement that did not seem completely trustworthy. It seemed too promising, too convenient to be all that the two witches talked it up to be. There had to be some sort of drawback they were hiding from him, the ever present fine print that one hid at the end of a long and appealing looking agreement to keep a sucker from backing out. 

Yet even with everything he had brought up to him, Death seemed fully invested in seeing this plan through. Then, his voice suddenly broke the silence that had settled between them.

“However, I suppose I can see where there would be some uncertainty regarding the arrangement. Given your feelings regarding the offer the sisters have made, what sort of alternative would you be thinking to propose?”

“An alternative?”

“If you have one, of course. Despite how outlandish it may seem, this may be the best route we have. But if you have another idea that may be better, I might consider it.”

Admittedly, Mortis had not considered what exactly to do instead of working with Nausea and Phobia. Or at least, he had no idea what to do that would be better than what they had in mind. If only there was a way to make sure the sisters were truthful about the ritual they told Death about, a means to test it perhaps.

Realization sparked in his mind, a plan quickly forming as he turned to look at Death.

“What if I took your place?”

“You what?” Death stared at him incredulously. “What would that do?”

“If I take your place in the ritual, let the sisters turn me undead first, you could see what the process actually does. If they are not genuine about their motives, it will show when they turn me undead and you won’t be harmed if they were hiding anything.” Mortis explained, hoping that his hastily conjured idea made sense.

“And what will you do after that if it works like they say it will? Go back to work, return to your research in the lab and expect nothing to happen or no one to question why you are a walking corpse?”

His posture shrank in his seat, what the rest of the judges would think of his new state of being had not crossed his mind.

“I could make it work!” Mortis quickly replied, “We do not know how far the process goes in making someone undead. If it is not too noticeable it could be a simple matter of applying some cosmetic changes before I go out and blend in.”

“Exactly, we do not know. That is why I wanted to go through the transformation first, overthrow the chief and take his place. It makes things simpler. If you are undead before I am, before there is a body in power that would not question what is going on and approve of it, as in me, it is going to make things more complex than they need to be.”

“I could be chief.”

“Mortis this is getting ridiculous.”

“No, not if I make it a temporary affair. I could hold the office until you are ready should the ritual go as the sisters say it would. Then when you are undead, I can hand the title of chief over to you.”

Death settled back in his seat, letting his hands rest on his hips. His head tilted to look at Mortis from beneath the edge of his brow- or so he could tell from what could be seen beneath his visor.

“This all seems rather superfluous for the sake of ensuring my well being.” The man stated.

“I do not think that is the reason why you are uncomfortable with it.” Mortis countered. “You would still have a man making sure everything is running how you want it to, but you do not like that it is not you being that man.”

Death sighed, looking down for a moment before straightening.”Yes, it is not my first choice to have one of my brothers in office before I am. It is better for me to be in office, executing my plans instead of having someone else having to take instructions from me.”

“Death, you have known me for years. I have followed your example when I was in the academy, I followed you after I graduated, worked alongside you and become intimately familiar with your philosophy, methods, the very motive behind this whole cause. When have I failed to prove my ability?”

The other Judge watched him, contemplating. Silence sat thick and heavy between the two. Mortis’ form remained tense, anticipating from where he sat perched upon his lawmaster.

Sidney’s voice was like a knife cutting through the weight between them, “This is... a lot to consider. But I will think about it."

\-------

The chief judge’s office was silent, usual sounds of the hall of justice going about its daily activity were shut out, muted behind the heavy doors of the office chambers. It allowed Mortis to think, to remember. He could still hear Sidney’s final words of their conversation within his skull, his own thoughts beginning to mirror that uncertainty that he heard in his friend’s voice. Even after his previous visits, Mortis could not help but feel uncertain as he considered the paperwork before him. Cases, petitions, reports; a handful of the pile that had been awaiting him at the start of the day were laid out. The bleached white paper stood out starkly against the dark color of the wood of the polished desk surface.

A low hiss breathed from him, along with tension his host had been holding since he took office- but only a small part of it. The stiffness of rigor mortis paled in comparison to the uncomfortable, tight feeling that squeezed on his throat and wove knots into his shoulders and back. His back hunched, reached a clawed hand forward to grasp one of the papers before pausing, talons poised over the small stack. Muscle memory had made the simple decision to just pluck up the pages, but consciously the superfiend refrained from grasping them.

He had been working on controlling it, but Mortis’ touch had a way of destroying whatever he touched if he was not focusing intently on the task. Heavier materials like stone were easier to work with, as were synthetic materials like plastics. They could be destroyed with ease if he wished, but if he were to brush against them absentmindedly, the worst he would do was a mere discoloration of the material, mild weathering. Something as fragile as paper however would be doomed to disintegrate without the proper mindfulness.

His talons pulled back, mindful to avoid the polished wood surface of his desk as he let his hands come to rest in his lap.

Focus.

Mortis’ skull had no eyes -or eyelids- to close, to blot out the world and surround himself in a calming darkness. Removing himself from the office, and into a place of clear thought, was far more of a mental exercise.

Fade, he willed, let the room fade.

The room, however, refused to fade. His office still sat before his skeletal snout, as present as it had ever been, and will be. Something still churned in the back of his thoughts, a nagging sense of inadequacy. The chair he sat in was not befitting of his presence, he did not belong behind this desk; came a venomous thought. Failure, or the threat of it, hang heavily over him. 

No one had ever suggested it, not a soul dared to. Death had expressed his faith in him, the fact he even allowed Mortis to transform into an undead superfiend was evidence enough of that outside of his expressed support. But even that did not stop that sinking sensation, the feeling of not belonging in the seat he now held- even if it was only temporary.

A soft hiss whispered from the dark judge’s skull, a clawed hand raising to massage circles against the bone of his brow.

He had all the confidence of Death he needed, and yet he could not muster the peace of mind to pick up a piece of paper. His skull tilted, considering the paging machine sitting at the edge of the desk, next to the small in and outbox shelf. Leaning his elbow against the chair arm, the hand that had been massaging his brow moved to cup the side of his jaw, acting as a rest for it. His free hand reached towards the paging machine, a curled talon outstretched to gently press the messaging button.

His touch alone was enough to make the white surface of the button start to discolor to a sickly yellow as it depressed with a soft click.

“I will be needing an assssissstant.” Mortis hissed over the line.

“Yes, the chief judge, we will send one in shortly.” Came a male voice not long after.

The superfiend sighed a sibilant “Thank you.” before ending the request, and leaned back in his chair to stare out towards the door at the end of the chamber.


End file.
